Skico: No skiing on Aspen Mountain during Memorial Day weekend

Aspen Skiing Co. extended the season on Aspen Mountain over Memorial weekend in 2017.Anna Stonehouse/The Aspen Times file photo

Lift-served skiing on Aspen Mountain has been ruled out when the Silver Queen Gondola fires up for the summer season May 26, Aspen Skiing Co. spokesman Jeff Hanle said Wednesday.

“Unfortunately we confirmed (Tuesday) that there will be no skiing on Memorial Day when we open for the season,” Hanle said in a text response to an inquiry from The Aspen Times. “The warm weather has dashed our hopes.”

Skico closed for the winter as scheduled April 15 but left open the possibility of resuming skiing on the mountaintop on Memorial Day weekend if conditions allowed. However, it’s been warm and dry throughout May, so conditions didn’t allow. The mountain cam at the Sundeck restaurant on the mountaintop shows patchy and dirty snow.

Aspen Mountain had enough snow to open for Memorial Day weekend 2017. That was the sixth time since 2008 that the lifts were able to spin on the holiday known as the unofficial start to summer.

Even without skiing this year, there will be plenty to do on Aspen Mountain, including hiking, outdoor music, disc golf and a kids’ play area.

The Silver Queen Gondola will open for weekends only May 26 to 28, June 2 and 3 and June 9 and 10. The gondola, Sundeck and other facilities will open for daily service starting June 16. The hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Elk Camp Gondola and Elk Camp Chairlift at Snowmass will fire up June 22.